


74

by WormholesandPegasus



Series: We Are Consumed By Fire [3]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 74th Hunger Games, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, District 12 (Hunger Games), F/M, Gen, Katniss has already won the games, Let the 74th annual hunger games begin!, Not Beta Read, The Capitol (Hunger Games), This is not an Everlark story, Victors, Warning: Katniss and Peeta do NOT get along, no beta we die like men, no everlark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25487587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WormholesandPegasus/pseuds/WormholesandPegasus
Summary: The future sits on the edge of a prepice like a bird ready to take its first flight. It could either fall into the clutches of the Capitol or survive. Those are the two options for the world. All or nothing.But that is the last of her fears. The thought of Prim's reaping passes her mind for one brief second and Katniss shudders. That thought had been hidden within the depths of her imagination for years.President Snow so far has been hesitant in his punishment. But Katniss has a feeling that this will be the year everything changes. She has only hope that her prediction will not come to pass.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Finnick Odair, Katniss Everdeen & Johanna Mason, Katniss Everdeen & Madge Undersee, Katniss Everdeen & Original Character(s), Katniss Everdeen/Gale Hawthorne
Series: We Are Consumed By Fire [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772578
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	1. Madge’s Luck

**Author's Note:**

> Reminder:
> 
> Katniss is 20  
> Gale is 21  
> Finnick is 22  
> Peeta is 18  
> Madge is 18

It's the year after Katniss's five year anniversary of her game, and her 20th birthday.

It is also Prim's first reaping.

So much has happened since Katniss's games. Her duties, her position, her knowledge. But most importantly, the world.

The future sits on the edge of a prepice like a bird ready to take its first flight. It could either fall into the clutches of the Capitol or survive. Those are the two option for the world. All or nothing.

But that is the last of her fears. The thought of Prim's reaping passes her mind for one brief second and Katniss shudders. That thought had been hidden within the depths of her imagination for years.

President Snow so far has been hesitant in his punishment. But Katniss has a feeling that this will be the year everything changes. She has only hope that her prediction will not come to pass.

This haunts her as she sits with Gale on the hilltop.

He throws a rock and watches it tumble downwards, "We can't leave anymore. We should have gone when we had the chance."

"You're helping a lot, Gale." Katniss replies. She's much too frustrated to deal with his philosophical thoughts.

"Got it." The young man pauses and switches trains of thought. "I wonder what they are planning right now."

"Who?"

"President Coin and President Snow." He answers. "They're always up to something, and in the end it always has to do with us."

Katniss laughs. The sound blossoms from her chest, free and clear. She hasn't felt this feeling in a long time. She thinks it's pure happiness. "It does doesn't it?" 

Gale leans forward and smiles, "You know it."

"I do."

The sun is starting to reach its midpoint in the sky and as such it is swelteringly hot.

Concern graces Katniss's face. "Is it time to go home already? I though the reaping was later in the day."

"I thought so too—" Gale squints at his watch, a present from Finnick, before cussing under his breath. "We are late, Katniss!"

"This is the last time I let you lead our hunts!" She replies as she starts into a jog.

"I'm wounded."

The square is once again emptied of all obstacles, replaced with the young of the district.

From her spot above the crowd, Katniss can see Rory drag a hysterical Prim through the cues. Her heart aches, she should be the the one helping her little sister. It is what she always has done.

Madge ushers the to through the line, ever the caretaker. Her and Katniss have stayed close over the years. It is Madge's last year of eligibility, and Katniss hopes so greatly that it will not end on her name being called.

Katniss makes eye contact with Gale, who somehow looks calmer. His time in the Capitol has certainly mellowed him out—much more than Katniss herself though possible. Not that it hasn't done the same for her.

A call to attention pulls her out of her thoughts. 

Effie stands at the microphone wearing a vibrant wig and dress combo. "Hello District Twelve! It is so good to see you."

Katniss turns out the speech. She knows it's fake. She saw Effie practice it two years ago and has dismissed every word ever since.

Out of the corner of her eye she can see Gale doing his best Effie impression and has to stifle her laughter.

Haymitch startles her a little when he asks her a question, "What kind of tributes do you think we'll get this year?" She can smell the alcohol on his breath.

She doesn't dignify him with a response more than "You know I don't bet on that."

"I know sweetheart, that's why I asked, you're not very vocal on you're opinions. It's almost as if you act shallow when you talk to other."

Katniss shoots the older victor a glare.

Haymitch smirks and laughs loudly. Maybe even loud enough to speak over Effie. If Katniss hadn't been practicing, she would have flushed tomato red on the spot. 

Effie finishes off her speech and fixes an accusatory look over at the victors which only prompts Haymitch to laugh some more. Katniss looks away in an attempt to distance herself from the humiliation.

Effie idles over to the first bowl. Her hand drifts over the hundreds of names in the bowl before digging deep down to grasp a single piece.

Effies voice cracks as she calls out the female tribute's name, "Primrose Everdeen."

Katniss can feel her breath lodge itself in her throat as she chokes out a single word, "Prim?"

Haymitch is on her in a second. He holds her up to prevent her collapse, whispering warnings. She has an image to protect, a family to protect.

But it is her family being called out in the reaping. Katniss is not sure if her heart is still beating or if she has gone into cardiac arrest. This is the punishment Snow has intended for her: to watch her family die as she avoided. He must have rigged the draw.

The blood is pumping so loudly in Katniss's ears that she almost doesn't hear a voice pipe up from the crowd, "I volunteer! I will take her place!"

Madge Undersee steps out from the crowd, seeming ever so small in her little red dress. But she's confident in her answer. The young woman holds her head high as she walks up to the stage.

Effie is eight ways out of sort by the time Madge makes her way to the microphone.

"And what is your name, dear?" Effie asks.

The answer is flat, "Madge Undersee."

Her father swallows loudly, obviously trying to hold in his feelings. As a man of his position, he's not allowed to show them.

Katniss almost feels bad for him.

Madge takes her place next to Katniss and the older girl can feel the tension on the former. She reaches out her hand for Madge to hold on to. The younger girl accepts it with a sheepish smile on her face.

But Katniss's attention is on Effie again, as she begins the process for the male tribute. She can only wish it is not Rory this time.

This time Effie does not hesitate, she picks a name from the top of the pile and reads it aloud, "Peeta Mellark!"

Katniss releases her breath that she did not know she was holding in. She doesn't recognize the name.

But when she scans the crowd as it parts around him, she knows that face. He's the boy with the bread. The one who stopped her from starving so many years ago.

But that was a long time ago. And Katniss does not like the look in his eyes when he sees her. It is too much like how the Capitolites look at her.

Nevertheless, Katniss dismisses it. She has a job to do.

Peacekeepers guide the five of them off the stage.

The Tribute Goodbyes with take the course of an hour. During that time, Katniss has Victor's duties to perform. Plenty of them in fact.

She pulls her letter out from her coat pocket. It is a list of appointments and jobs for her time in the Capitol outside of mentoring.

Haymitch has his own list, although it lacks the appointments Katniss has.

Somehow Gale has made his way inside the Justice Building unnoticed. He sidles up to his friend, "I have a message for you from the Greasy Sae's cousin."

Katniss snorts. The code name for President Coin never fails to make her laugh. "Thanks. I'll get on it."

The young man holds out his hand, "I know this was an especially hard reaping for you. You need to hang in there, alright?" His eyes are filled with concern.

"Don't worry, you know me. I'm strong, I won the Hunger Games after all." Katniss smiles weakly at him.

Gale smiles back—she's been seeing that expression on his face more often now—and laughs, "I know that. That doesn't mean that I can't worry about you." He pauses, "I'm going to miss you when you are gone this week."

"Yeah," she replies.

The sudden urge appears to pull him into a hug. And for the first time in a long time, she doesn't ignore it.

Gale huffs as he is unexpectedly tugged towards Katniss but he relaxes in her arms. He takes a deep sigh. The two of them have been through so much together.

Him waking up to her nightmares of the games after the Hawthornes moved into Katniss's new home. The extra space was not being used by the three Everdeens. Her waking up to his nightmares of her dying. Sharing the basement as a bedroom to hide their unequal but still collective trauma. Coparenting when their moms are too busy with work. The two of them running a resistance under the noses of the Capitol.

Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne are family, and that is a tie even the Capitol cannot break.

The pair is interrupted by a whistle from Haymitch. The other victor gestures Katniss over.

Her eyes linger on Gale for one second before he pulls her into a goodbye kiss, the both of them savoring their last contact for at least a month.

Immediately afterward her choice to stare straight into the eyes of Haymitch. He had no business interrupting her and Gale. So he can be uncomfortable for a second, he overstepped, it's within the bounds for a little revenge.

Unfortunately, Katniss's move had little to no effect on her former mentor. The man just puts on a grin and ushers her forward.

Sometimes Katniss wishes she could yell even more at the man.

They stop to wait in the entrance hall. Madge and Peeta greet them there, both looking anxious.

A different two peacekeepers escort them to the train. The Capitol bullet train is just as Katniss remembers it. Sleek and well engineered, the rain rides smoothly and quickly.

Of course the decorations are different yet again this year, the Capitol always spare no expense. 

District Twelve resides in the tail. Katniss decides to spend the first hour eating a bagel and watching the scenery go by in the caboose.

This year will hurt a lot more than most. Two tributes from Twelve who almost made it out. They were so close to being free. At least one of them will die.

Katniss would not be lying if she said that these are the best odds they've had in years. They are two attractive tributes who are in their final year of eligibility. Katniss might have asked for those odds are few years ago.

But she is not the same person she was. She's stronger, smarter, and much more knowledgeable than when she first won the games.

Not to mention this is Madge Undersee she now has to mentor. The sweet mayor's daughter who Katniss has been friends with for years. This girl has so much to lose. 

Now it is Katniss's job to step up and try at being a mentor again. She owes that to Madge at the very least.

The smaller girl enters the end car as Katniss files away those thoughts.

Madge sits down on the seat across from her. Her shoulders are slumped. Katniss wonders if she regrets her decision.

"I guess this is the time where I ask you for tips?" Madge asks.

"I guess so," Katniss replies. Her voice is hoarser than she expected.

Madge's eyes are red as if she has been crying. "Um, what do I need to know?" The question is tentative, fearful.

Katniss is about to respond when she is interrupted by the sound of the cabin's sliding door opening.

Peeta stands at the entrance, trying his best to look confident. He is currently failing at the task.

He gives up the ruse, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing." Katniss replies, "I was just giving Madge some survival advice."

"Can I listen in?" He asks.

"Isn't that the point?" The sarcasm is thick in her voice. Peeta should just be upfront and ask her his questions. Katniss doesn't have time for circular answers during the games. That should be the last thing on her mind when interacting with tributes. She'll leave that to conversations with the Gamemakers and other victors.

Katniss gestures for Peeta to sit down with Madge.

"Number One: You'll need to know how to survive for extended periods in the wild. There is never running service in the games which means no tap water and no electrical heat."

"That means you will have survive in extreme temperatures." Katniss pauses to think, this is the first time in a while she has given this speech. "Caves are your friend, they regulate temperature. However, they may also contain animals."

"But temperature is not your greatest danger. The availability of food is. Now, there are two options for food—"

Katniss is cut off by Haymitch for the second time that day, "So Sweetheart, when are you going to tell them to join the Careers?"

It is just like him to create tension at this moment. He's drunk already. Katniss doesn't need this right now, one of these two kids could easily be a victor. 

"What does he mean?" There's betrayal lurking in Madge's eyes.

Katniss sighs. This is not a discussion she wanted to have so soon. "You both are eighteen and attractive. There is a chance the Careers will want to ally with you."

Peeta is incredulous, "You want us to ally with the Career tributes?"

Katniss chooses her words carefully. "If that is your choice, then yes."

"I didn't expect that from you." 

That sets Katniss off. Peeta—after talking with her exactly twice—believes he knows her well enough to predict what she will recommend? He hasn't hardly met her. "I'm sorry? Do I know you?" 

"I was just saying—" Peeta tries to finish.

Haymitch, sensing the tension, stops the confrontation, "Katniss, I think you should take a break for a minute. I can teach the kids."

Katniss elects to follow his advice. She is too wound up to be helping. She can only hope that Haymitch will help this time.

The tribute parade feels so soon afterward.

This year Cinna has given the tributes good costumes. Dressed as coal, they will burst into flames halfway through the parade.

It is so much flashier than the coal miner outfit. If Katniss was more honest about herself she would say she is jealous.

She feels a hand on her shoulder and her breath quickens.

It's Finnick Odair. 

His brilliant white teeth greet her for one second before is she shoved into his arms. Finnick is a tactile person.

"It's good to see you again." 

"Likewise," she replies.

"Aww, what's got you down?" Lorran enters. "Your tributes actually have good outfits this year."

Finnick's reply is quick, "Her sister."

Lorran cusses. "I almost forgot about that. Yikes. How're you holding up?"

Katniss takes a deep breath. Her tone is exhausted. "It's not that. I can accept that. It's one of my tributes, he thinks he knows me." 

Finnick winces. He's had this problem with his Capitol lovers before. "He's like them, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah," Katniss sits down on the curb. "I haven't had to deal with this sort of thing at home yet. I can deal with it in the Capitol, but I don't want to deal with that in Twelve.

"I can understand that." Lorran adds. He's been luckier than the two of them. He managed to avoid all of the appointments.

Katniss's attention fades when she sees Cinna talking to her tributes. She has a message for him, as detailed on Greasy Sae's list. 

"I have to go." She offers.

The two boys wave, they know her attention likely won't return for a while. They're willing to let her go.

Cinna smiles at her. He remains the least strange person she has met in the Capitol.

"Katniss, it is good to see you."

"I see you have blown it out of the water as usual. Much better than the miner uniforms."

He laughs, "I know that."

Katniss grunts. "I wish Bonnie did this."

Cinna quirks an meticulously kept eyebrow. And he continues to tell the tributes about their costumes. He guides them through safety measures and protocols alike.

Katniss pays attention for a while but once again her attention wanders. Today is not a good day for her. She remains in the haze the previous day's surprise.

Cashmere and Gloss are by the first carriage. Brutus is by the second, but Enobaria is nowhere to be seen. Wiress is by the third. Johanna stands by the seventh. 

Katniss realizes she finally knows most of the victors at this point. Her time in the Capitol has finally produced a visible result. She files that away in her mind to think about later.

Her thoughts continue to wander. She has to come up with a plan to help one of her tributes to win the games. If only they will cooperate with her.

She meets the tributes in the District Twelve penthouse after a nightlong appointment.

Makeup hides the bags under her eyes.

Peeta is livelier than she thought he would be. Perhaps she underestimated him. There is a very high possibility that boy will win the games this year.

He might not know if but Katniss has seen him around as well. She's seen him throw around sacks of flour as if they are nothing. He's shrugged off extremely painful burns with nothing but a little water.

Gale considered recruiting him once a long ago. Nothing ever came from it.

But her duty is to Madge, the girl who saved her little sister. There is nothing Katniss can to do to repay that debt except help her win the games.

And that may mean she needs to leave Peeta behind. If that's what it takes, Katniss is willing to make that sacrifice.

The young man appears in the corner of her vision, just having finished his breakfast.

"What do you advise we do for training today?" He steps in front of her and poses the question.

Katniss thinks for a second, "You need to prove yourself in front of your competition. Throw around some medicine balls. Try the climbing wall. Use your upper body strength."

Peeta nods. He turns to leave but his eyes linger on her, "Thank you." He is almost out the door before he asks his second question, "What about Madge?"

"She should spend some time at the survivalist stations and make some friends. The two of you will need the help."

The young man smiles and leaves her to her thoughts.

Unfortunately, those thoughts do not last very long, for Haymitch is ready to leave for the mentors' meeting.

Katniss takes a deep breath and gets on with it. She has no time to waste.

"What are our chances this year?" She asks her companion.

"1 in 25." His breath is less strong than usual. The alcohol is less present. He feels more in the moment.

Katniss stops, "Are—are you sober?"

"Almost" is his reply.

"That's good enough for me." She starts up again, speeding up her pace.

"Slow down, Sweetheart." Haymitch is panting. "We still have a lot to do today. I have lots of plans lined up for us."

The first floor hallway opens up to a large corridor, victors milling about from wall to wall. 

Katniss makes a beeline to Finnick. She didn't pay enough attention to know his tributes.

Almost immediately she is shaken off. Finnick makes a hand signal. Too young. He doesn't have careers this year, he has reaped kids instead.

So she heads over to Lorran instead. The boy from his district had a limp, but he looked strong enough. And if he has survived in Ten, he definitely has the potential to be a powerful ally in the arena.

The other victors is leaning against the wall. He's wearing a leather jacket, and his blonde hair is slicked back.

"Is that from your district?" Katniss asks. She's referring to the leather, it seems to nice to be fake.

Lorran startles, but a smile crosses his face. "Yeah, it is! I made it from some of my family's Angus cowhides."

Katniss smiles back at him.

The two of them elapse into silence, neither knowing what to say to the other.

Lorran breaks the silence, "You're here to ask about an alliance for our tributes, right? I can see the look in your eye, I actually know you, Katniss."

That earns a snort from her. "You're actually right today."

"Thank you." He replies, "I assume you want it to be with Wright. What is your proposal?"

"That's the thing—I'm not entirely sure yet. I am fairly sure the female tribute from my district is willing to take an alliance with another outer district. Madge Undersee, 18 and in good health." Katniss explains to her friend.

"So she hasn't agreed yet." Lorran pieces together. "That is what we are waiting on."

She nods.

Lorran sighs, "Well at least we have some time to get this all figured out."

"That is certainly true."

The two sit down on the floor. With all of the Capitol's luxury, they somehow forgot to give the victors' chairs while they wait. Katniss knows they will not make that mistake again next year. The Capitol is supposed be perfect, and they will do anything to keep up that image.

Katniss is knowledgeable enough about President Snow to know that he will do anything to keep his image pristine and his power secure. And she does not want to get involved in that.

Lorran hands Katniss a scone. 

"I took it from breakfast this morning, my lady." He adds with a mischievous smirk.

"Thanks you very much sir knight." She replies.

The two break into laughter at their exchange. The tension of their situation has made laughter one of the few ways to relieve stress. The two of them have a lot on their shoulders.

"How dare you laugh without me?"

Johanna Mason is standing in front of the duo, wearing a flannel jacket. Her dark curly hair is looking cute free from any excess styling. She always has fought off the stylists.

Her explanation is that she is a victor, not a toy for Capitolites to play with. Unfortunately that attitude brought about the untimely passing of her family.

Johanna sits down on Katniss's left. "How are you doing, Kat?" She asks. "You've had a lot going on."

"I'm fine." Katniss replies.

Lorran gives Johanna a look that doesn't go unnoticed by Katniss. Drop it, his eyes say.

Johanna switches topics, "Well I was planning on playing rank the hottest tributes with Finnick if you two want to join."

"You know I want to play," Lorran replies. "Cato, the guy from Two, and Thresh from Eleven are both masculine specimens."

"I guess." Katniss grumbles. She's on the edge of one of her moods again. "Although I would bet on the girl from Two."

Johanna smiles. "That's what I'm talking about! Let's go get Finnick, he can stop talking to those older victors. This is much more important."

The rest of tribute training goes by quickly. Peeta chose strength as his talent for the Gamemakers and Madge chose dodging, earning a 9 and 5 respectively.

Madge has gained an alliance with Wright from 10.

Peeta has entered the Career alliance with Katniss's well wishes. Gloss was on board immediately, but it took a while to convince Cashmere and Enobaria to agree.

Peeta also has her advice to take out a few careers at night when there are ten tributes left. Katniss isn't above breaking alliances, and no one can trace that advice back to her anyways.

But tonight is the night of the interviews. So far Madge's has gone smoothly. She has the charm and the beauty. She is just inherently charismatic. If Katniss was less secure, she would be jealous.

Madge's dress is pink and short, once again due to Cinna's genius. She's absolutely gorgeous. Beyond that, the dress turns into flower petals when she spins. 

It is the perfect interview. If only Peeta can follow it up.

His suit is a deep red. It looks very expensive and he looks very handsome in it. That part is working at least.

He is also charming, flowing through Caesar's questions much more easily than Katniss ever did. But it is the last question that rocks her world.

"You are a very handsome young man, are you sure there is no one at home waiting for you?"

Peeta stutters for a second before sheepishly blushing a deep rose, "Well there is one girl, but I'm fairly sure it is a long shot."

"Why, I'm pretty sure anyone here would be happy to have you."

The audience cheers.

Caesar starts talking again once the crowd stops cheering, "Who is this long shot?"

"Well," he pauses, "Her name is Katniss Everdeen."

The crowd looses all sense of composure and breaks out into riotous shouting. No one can even hear the goodbyes between Caesar and Peeta.

Peeta is greeted by Katniss in the wings with a sucker punch. 

"How dare you do that to me!" She yells. "Do you know what that means for my life?" Katniss is furious.

It's Gloss who pulls her off the boy. 

Haymitch helps Peeta get up. The older man affixes Katniss with an accusatory glare. She knows she'll be yelled at the minute they enter the penthouse.

But the biggest question is why Finnick, Johanna, and Lorran didn't intervene. They stood just to her left and did nothing.

She looks over to Finnick.

The young man points to his left pointer finger, and Katniss looks at hers. The ring.

“Family.” Johanna mouths.

It wasn’t a lack of action, it was a statement. They stand with her. Katniss can only hope that will help her in the future.

For now her focus is the games. She still has so much to do.


	2. a bed of grass/soft green pillow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion of the 74th Hunger Games.

Madge remembers her snares. Both the ones she learned from training and the ones she learned from Katniss on late nights, in the Capitol and at home.

Katniss is glad for that.

Despite the things that have been said about her on talk shows or on Capitol messaging apps, she only really cares about the fate of one of her tributes this year, and that's Madge. Madge is her friend. And friendship matter to Katniss. Anyone can be decent enough to share a little bit of food, Madge always shared her moldy strawberries, so Peeta's sacrifice doesn't mean much compared to all of the meals the Hawthornes shared with the Everdeens.

In short, Peeta is Haymitch's problem, not hers.

Katniss's hand itches, but that is nothing compared to what Madge must be feeling. There is a relatively deep cut in her shoulder that Katniss is hoping to get antibiotic cream for. She's with Wright by the far shore of the lake in some underground cave. Luckily for them, the careers are on the other side of the map.

Haymitch is watching his monitors with a glass of something in his hand. Katniss is too engrossed in gift prices to ask him what is in it.

From on of the other stations Katniss can hear a victor groan loudly. Another one of the tributes must have lost.

Katniss knows the feeling.

But Madge is still alive so Katniss has hope.

She and Gale spent too much time trying to help the people of District Twelve for her hope to cave in now.

She reviews the prices one more time, it's all she can do for now.

The scene is a scenic penthouse party. Bright lights and fancy dress. Rich and influential Capitolites mill about. Katniss and Johanna stand in the foyer holding virgin martinis. Tonight is not a night for alcohol. Tonight is a night for sponsors.

It's a verbal dance. Effortlessly twisting the conversation between topics, ascertaining motives. And maybe a deal can be reached.

Katniss sets her sights on a man in his early thirties. He catches her gaze with discolored eyes—a Capitol enhancement—and smiles with fanged teeth. She supposes he must be an Enobaria boy. It's bound to be an interesting night.

She holds out her hand for him to to kiss and does the same on his return. And so the dancing begins.

His lips are soft and he looks ever so fae that would trick people into selling their souls like in the fairy tales her mother used to tell her. But she knows to be wary, her father told her too many stories of the things that lurk in the woods for it to be any other way.

He flutters his eyelashes flirtatiously and she allows herself to be pulled into his gravity. The group parts.

She's getting better at the dance, it's her job after all.

Her soft breath warms his face as she whispers thoughts into his ear. She has some favors to ask him and she's willing to do something in return.

The rest of the night is a flurry of lights and scents. Lavender, the lighting in the drawing room, the smell of a woman's perfume. Rose, the color of his flushed cheeks when she says something surprising, the smell of the flowers the boy leaves for her.

But the thing that she'll remember the most from that night is the passion. She doesn't know if it's real or not.

She usually does.

Not much has changed since Katniss left. The other victors remain busy at their stations.

Madge remains with Wright on the northeast side of the lake camped at a low spot near the edge of the forest. There's only a single other tribute in the area, the little girl, Rue, from Eleven. She's in a tree about a half mile away, no threat.

Peeta is feasting with the Career pack. It's six people this year, both tributes from One, both tributes from Two, the boy from Three, and Peeta. She was right, he can work well with them. But unlike Madge, he looks uncomfortable. It's in the way he sits on the edge of the rock, the way he seems out of breath.

Still, looking after him is Haymitch's job, not hers.

Movement on the screen sparks her interest.

A girl emerges from the leaves. Rue, the little girl from Eleven, is sitting in one of the trees.

"What is she doing?" Katniss asks a tired Haymitch.

"I don't know."

Madge and Wright both stand up, finally noticing Rue. But to everyone's surprise, Madge invites the girl to join them. She holds out her hand in a gesture of friendship.

Rue's curious eyes look first at Madge's hand and then at her smile. The young girl extends her hand tentatively.

And just like that an alliance is formed.

Next to her Haymitch is frowning. He's thinking, as he should be. This just threw a wrench in their plans. It might be more work in the long run, but Madge's choice gives them a lot of material.

Unfortunately, it will probably also make Madge's life a lot harder as well. Being a rebellious victor is hard, just ask her or Johanna.

"I have to go." Katniss says in Haymitch's general direction.

He nods. "Do what you have to."

It's going to be a long night for Katniss.

Lorran wanders over to her station, his signature leather jacket over his shoulders. "Your girl is my best bet, you know that right?"

"Yeah," Her eyes do not leave the screens.

"My mother wants to talk to you when you are back in Ten." He smiles to show off his white teeth. His eyes shine brightly.

Coin. Of course.

Lorran's code for Ten's resistance movement is his mother. She died in the liberty riots a few years before her father. Something is going on. Coin is moving her chess pieces again and Katniss is pretty sure that it has something to do with Gale trying to talk to her before the train ride started. If only it wasn't the year her tributes had a chance.

Katniss tears her eyes off the screen, "What does your mother want to talk about?"

"Things are getting worse at home," He pauses, "She wants to prepare for a hard winter. This next crop is supposed to be much better than this years."

"Oh really?" She quirks an eyebrow.

Lorran's demeanor becomes even more relaxed—more dangerous—as he speaks, "She wants to sell our land for better pastures further west. Things seem to look good for the close future."

Interesting. Coin wants to go all in, and soon. Their previous plan was to wait for a couple more years until tensions boil over in the districts. Could Madge's choice have caused that to change so quickly? What mistake did Snow make?

"I wonder how the rest of your family feels about it." Katniss asks. She needs to know who else knows about this.

The corner of Lorran's mouth quirks upward, "Everyone's on board, even one of our cousins in the north east. The young one who seems to know the land even better than my father is in favor."

Gale. He means Gale.

Gale will begin the fight at home. That's worrisome enough. 

Lorran continues, "She's asking for your opinion on the new plots. It would mean a lot to her if you could help out."

Conversations like these are always slippery, two people slinging could be's at each other in hope that they will land. But Katniss thinks she understands the meaning and it isn't good. Coin wants the fight to start, soon.

"I'll see, it depends on how Prim is holding up when I get home." Katniss does her best to keep her tone even.

Lorran nods and drifts off. He got the meaning well enough.

Katniss grips the back of the chair.

It's happening much too quickly. They haven't formulated a plan for war to break out so quickly. Madge's choice is not big enough to be a catalyst for the districts. And even more questions remain: How long has Gale known? Is he ready for the Capitol's retaliation? And the most important question of all. Is she ready?

She doesn't know.

Her knuckles are white.

Katniss wrenches her hands off the back of the seat and forces herself to sit down.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

At least five minutes pass before she feels relaxed enough to stop and refocus. She hasn't been stressed enough to need to rely on that exercise for a long time. Coin's plan better be worth the stress.

A few things happen in the days Katniss and Haymitch spend trying to convince Seneca Crane that Madge is no threat.

One.

Finch from Five dances her way through the mines. She's incredibly careful as she moves through the traps.

Afterward in what is called an unforgettable act of unity, Finch shares her score with Thresh in the prairie.

Two.

Glimmer dies from tracker jacker stings after one of the other tributes sabotages a career hunt.

Three.

Peeta catches Finch, she doesn't make it out of it alive.

Four.

Madge sings Rue a lullaby.

Rue's not dead, just tired. She is a child after all with no older siblings. The three outer tributes spent the entire day before hatching a plan to take down the careers. The details alone were enough to make her sleepy.

It is the compassion of Madge that does not help Katniss's case. She is too kind for the games. That point creates the most fear in Katniss. Madge isn't ready for the big world, even less to than she was.

But that is the reason Coin wants Madge. The young woman's purity has the potential to inspire the districts to rise up. After all, it is incredibly hard to vilify the pure.

In order for it all to work either Madge needs to join the rebellion, or she needs to become a martyr. Katniss will do everything she can to prevent the latter. 

Madge has a good chance.

The count remains at eight tributes left. Madge, Wright, Rue, Thresh, Hermes—the boy from Three, Marvel, Cato, Clove, and...Peeta.  
Peeta

Something is bound to happen soon. Maybe the careers will split up, they have been showing signs of tension. Not to mention that Madge's alliance is almost ready to execute their plan. Perhaps the Gamemakers will put off their plans if it happens soon enough.

Still, Katniss has a sick feeling about this day.

The morning begins normally, a tired Katniss and Haymitch needing excess caffeine. The tributes wake after an unrestful night of taking shifts. Its the day they are executing their plan. Katniss can only hope it will go well.

The first step is to set up fire sites at three points previously chosen by the group to confuse the careers. Its a great plan, honestly.

The only problem is separation. The careers will hunt in one big group, but their little alliance will set each fire alone. They will reunite once Rue destroys the food pile. She was the only one who could move silently enough to be good for the job.

Of course it will go terribly wrong.

The first fire goes well, Rue does her job and gets out of the way.

The second does not.

None of the tributes notice something is amiss until Madge lights the third fire and sees no smoke to the east.

Seconds later Rue uses her slingshot.

The explosion rocks the ground for a mile around the event.

It seems the two tributes are sharing a mind when they abandon the plan and run to the second fire sight. They want to save their friend, even at the cost of their lives. This game is only becoming more and more disastrous for the Capitol.

They find him half tied in a net, fighting Marvel.

Rue throws a rock that hits Marvel hard enough for him to break contact with Wright and Madge is quick enough to cut him loose.

Unfortunately, that does not help them much because then Marvel chooses to advance on Rue.

They have been boxed into a corner. Rue is going to die.

Not if Wright has anything to say about that. He pushes Rue out of the way but is too slow to save himself. His bad foot trails behind as he is caught by Marvel's silver spear.

In an act of desperation, Madge throws her knife to try to protect them from the boy.

It lands true and the tribute alliance is free to focus on their friend. 

Rue helps Madge lower Wright into her lap. The poor boy doesn't have much time left. His fingers grace over the back of Rue's neck as he gasps out "You're too young to not make it out of this. I can't watch another child die."

Katniss calculates, but comes to no solution. She'll have to come up with one later.

Madge is humming the melody Katniss used to sing to her back when she was young. She wants to make Wright's end just a little softer.

"Deep in the meadow,

Under the willow,

A bed of grass,

A soft green pillow

Lay down your head..."

With soft exhale, Wright is gone forever. Another tribute whose life has been snuffed out by the Capitol's politics. Yet the games will go on as usual.

A true shame is what it is. The districts paying for some lengthy powerplays between Snow and Coin. Perhaps it is better that the rebellion begins soon, to stop the yearly human cost of the Hunger Games. Fixing the culture. To have the adults fighting for their children instead of the other way around.

Yes, that is what she wants. No more Finches or Wrights, or even Coras. Katniss pushes those thoughts back down where they came from. She has tried not to think about her for so long. How much she misses her.

But now is not the time for reminiscing lost love. Now is the time for her to help her tributes, if only she can figure out what will protect them from the remaining careers.

While Katniss has been lost in her thoughts, Madge and Rue have covered Wright with flowers. The District Eleven burial tradition, flowers with their dead. White for family, pink for friendship, and yellow sacrifice. Rue is going to bury Wright as a member of her own family.

The Capitol will not like that one bit.

A minute after they step away, the hovercraft comes for Wright and the Games return to their usual ferocity.

It starts with an announcement.

The voice of Claudius Templesmith rings out over the arena. There will be a feast, and a rule change. Of course the rule change will be announced on a slip of paper within each gift.

Cato and Clove get theirs first.

The mentors gather round Enobaria and Brutus's screens as they try to decipher the rule change. None of them were told what it was. Katniss can see Haymitch fuming in the background.

Johanna reads it aloud, "From this point onwards, a District pair may win the games together." "Together?" Finnick shouts.

The mentors voices melt together in confusion.

Those who it concerns slip back to their stations. They have a lot of work to do.

When Katniss returns to the screen more has developed. Peeta has ditched the careers with the District Twelve package and the two District Two tributes chasing him. Madge and Rue have emerged from the woods. Thresh is hiding near the edge of the thicket.

Katniss shoves all the thoughts away except for one; Madge and Rue are going to learn about the rule change.

"Where's mine?" Madge asks and looks at the empty table hopelessly.

"Never mind about that for now, we have to check what is in mine first." Rue replies.

She digs through the bag to pull out some sort of bait and a slip of paper. "Look at this! A tribute pair can win! That's the rule change!" 

Madge opens her mouth then swallows. "We gotta find Thresh then." 

It sinks in. This rule change was intended for Madge, of course she wouldn't abandon the kid. She is too human. She feels but most of all she cares for others in a way the Capitol will never fully understand. This will kill her—it was meant to. Katniss is sure of it.

"What?" Rue asks as a tear silently drips down Katniss's face.

"I'm not leaving you alone. Rue, you're eleven! Absolutely not!"

Katniss has to sit down to hold in her emotions. Madge can't do this again. She can't sacrifice herself for another person. She needs to survive.

"So where do you think he is?"

Rue sits down on a rock, "I think he worked in the fields, so maybe the thicket." She scrunches up her eyebrows, "I hope."

Madge gives Rue her hand to help her up. "Lets go find him."

But they are interrupted by a sound coming from the woods. Cato and Clove. They have returned from chasing Peeta and they are upset. He must have escaped him. That is not good for the rest of them. Cato and Clove are ready to murder.

Madge pushes Rue towards the thicket. "Find Thresh! Run!"

She unsheathes her knife. "Fight me then! Leave the kid, you monsters!" Madge turns again, "Run Rue!"

It is because she is turning that she misses Cloves first knife and is able to see Thresh scoop up the kid and bring her to his hiding place. But the second and third do. Madge goes down slowly. She gets no song. No flowers.

It's over. Over. Katniss broke her only promise to herself: Keep Madge alive.

She sits down on the floor.

It's over.

Over.

The world begins again a few hours later with the voice of Claudius Templesmith.

"Peeta Mellark has won the 74th Hunger Games!"

How will Coin and the Rebellion be able to work with him? He's the Capitol's victor, not the Districts. A symbol of the Capitol's victory in this game. From the way the mentors crowd around the District Eleven delegation, it is obvious that Rue is the one they mourn. A young girl who could have won, had the Capitol not interfered. She is their Victor.

Eleven shares everyone's support as far away, the district burns. The flames have caught, and one day the Capitol will ignore them no longer.

But Katniss is forced to shove her emotions down once again. She has a job to do. A mask to wear.

One or two hands rest on her back as she leaves the circle but it doesn't matter who they belong to. It matters that they are there. Someone supports her.

So she can move on and do her job no matter how heavy the guilt sits in her stomach. A rebellion doesn't start in a day after all. Thirteen needs her help.

She'll deal with Peeta. For now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to write this. I didn't have much of a plan for this one so it took longer than expected. I hope you enjoyed! Don't be afraid to comment. I love interaction with my work!

**Author's Note:**

> 2/7/21 I’m not gone, just on hiatus from this work. Book 4 (a short oneshot) ETA mid-April.


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